Electrical connector and contact therefor

ABSTRACT

An electrical connector for releasably interconnecting first and second electrical conductors inserted axially into the connector in opposite senses, the connector comprising an insulating housing and a spring metal contact element retained therein, the housing having at one of two opposite ends of the housing a first opening for receiving the first conductor and at the other of the two opposite ends a second opening for receiving the second conductor, the connector having a stop surface adjacent to but offset from the second opening of the housing for engagement by the leading end of the first conductor; the contact element comprising first and second arms connected by and extending in the same general direction from a bight for resiliently engaging the conductors simultaneously between them, the bight having an opening aligned with and adjacent the second opening of the housing for receiving the second conductor and the contact element having a detent adjacent the first opening of the housing for engaging the first conductor to restrain it from withdrawal from the first opening.

United States Patent [191 Dechelette [54] ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND CONTACT THEREFOR [75] Inventor: Helen Dechelette, Saint Cloud,

France [73] Assignee: AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. [22] Filed: Feb. 21, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 334,506

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 29. 1972 [52] US. Cl 339/217 S, 339/244 R, 339/256 R [51] Int. Cl H011 9/00 [58] Field of Search 339/217 R, 217 S, 244 R, 339/244 B, 244 U, 248 R, 248-8, 252 R, 252

F, 252 P, 252 TS, 256 R, 258 R, 258 C, 258

F, 258 P, 258 RR, 255 R, 255 A, 255 B, 255

. L, 255 P, 95 R, 95 D [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,283,289 11/1966 Cobaugh 339/256 R 3,315,219 4/1967 Brinser et a1. 339/198 3,528,050 9/1970 Hindenburg 339/95 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Cioffi, J. M., Connector, 3-1966, IBM Tech. Disc.

France 72.06932 [111 3,821,693 June28, 1974 Primary Examiner-Bobby R. Gay

4 Assistant Examiner-RobertA. Hafer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William .I. Keating; Frederick W. Raring; Jay L. Seitchik [5 7] ABSTRACT An electrical connectorfor releasably interconnecting first and second electrical conductors inserted axially into the connector in opposite senses, the connector comprising an insulating housing; and a spring metal Contact element retained therein, the housing having at one of two opposite ends of the housing a first opening for receiving the first conductor and at the other of the two opposite ends a second opening for receiving the second conductor, the connector having a stop surface adjacent to but offset from the second opening of the housing for engagement by the leading end of the first conductor; the Contact element com-" prising first and second arms connected by and extending in the same general direction from a bight for resiliently engaging the conductors simultaneously between them, the bighthaving an opening aligned with and adjacent the second opening of the housing for receiving the second conductor and the contact element having a detent adjacent the first opening of the housing for engaging the first conductor to restrain it from withdrawal from the first opening.

6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR AND CONTACT THEREFOR The invention relates to an electrical connector for releasably interconnecting first and second electrical conductors inserted axially into the connector in opposite senses and a contact element therefor.

An electrical connector according to the invention includes an electrical connector for releasably interconnecting first and second electrical conductors ins'erted axially into the connector in opposite senses, the connector comprising an insulating housing and a spring metal contact element retained therein, the housing having at one of two opposite ends of the housing a first opening for receiving the first conductor and at the other of the two opposite ends a second opening for receiving the second conductor, the connector having a stop surface adjacent to but offset from the second opening of the housing for engagement by the leading end of the first conductor; the contact element comprising first and secondarms connected by and extending in the same general direction from a bight for resiliently engaging the conductors simultaneously between them, the bight having an opening aligned with and adjacent the second opening of the housing for receiving the second conductor and the contact element having a detent adjacent the first opening of the housing for engaging the first conductor to restrain it from withdrawal from the first opening.

Since the axial movement mentioned above is restrained in the one sense by the stop surface and in the other by the detent member, the connector is suitable for use with a first conductor in the form of a standard parallel sided electrical post.

The detent member may have a stop surface facing the bight, to limit the insertion of the second electrical conductor into the connector and the contact element may be provided with guide lugs for the first conductor, these serving to restrain relative lateral movement between the connector and the first conductor. Conveniently the lugs may have extensions to act as locking tongues to co-operate with stop surfaces of the housing torestrain withdrawal of the contact element from the housing. The second arm may have a free end which can slide against a wall of the housing so that the second arm does not tend to buckle when the second conductor is mated with the connector.

The invention also provides a contact element for a connector as described above which contact element is stamped and formed from sheet metal stock and comprises first and second arms connected by and extending in the same general direction from a bight, the second arm being bowed towards the first arm and the bight having an opening through which an electrical conductor can be inserted so as to be resiliently engaged between the arms, the first arm having towards its end remote from the bight a side portion extending towards the second arm and carrying a detent projecting towards the bight.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view in longitudinal section of an electrical contact element;

F IG. 2 is a perspective view in longitudinal section of an insulating housing for the contact element;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view in longitudinal section of an electrical connector comprising the contact element and the housing and being mated with an electrical post;

FIG. 3A is a fragmentary sectional view of a detail FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the use of connectors according to FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the connec tor of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a similar view to that of FIG. 5 but showing the connector also mated with an electrical component lead;

F IG. 6A is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a detail of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 7 is a similar view to that of FIG. 5, and illustrating the use of a simple tool to release the post from the connector.

Reference will now be made to FIG. 1. The contact element which is generally referenced 2 and which has been formed from a single piece of sheet, spring metal stock, comprises a first arm 4 connected by a bight 6 to a second arm in the form of a contact spring 8 which lies opposite to, and is bowed towards the arm4, the arm 4 and spring 8 extending in the same general direction from the bight 6. Extending from the left-hand (as seen in FIG. 1) end of the arm 4 are two supports 10 (only one of which is shown) carrying a detent and stop member 12 bowed towards the arm 4 and having an end stop surface 14 facing the bight 6. A central slot 16 in the bight 6 extends into the arm 4 and terminates at a central shoulder 18 at the right-hand (as seen in FIG. 1) end of the arm 4. Projecting from opposite edges of the arm 4, in the vicinity of the bight 6 and at rightangles to the arm 4, are guide lugs 20 (only one of which is shown) and from each of which extends outwardly, a rectangular locking tongue 22, obliquely away from the bight 6. Towards its left-hand (as seen in FIG. I) end, the spring 8 diverges from the arm 4in the direction away from the bight 6 and terminates in a flat end portion 24 which is substantially parallel to the arm 4. At its left-hand (as seen in FIG. 1) end, the arm 4 has a central extension 26 projecting between the supports 10 and being parallel to and offset from the arm 4in the direction away from the contact spring 3.

As shown in FIG. 2, the housing, which has been molded from insulating plastics material and is of overall rectangular cross-section, is generally referenced 28 and defines a cavity 30 having an end wall 32 with a circular through opening 34 communicating with the cavity 30 and a central internal shoulder 36 providing a stop surface 38 extending at right-angles to two opposite parallel walls 40 and 42 of the cavity 30. Withinthe cavity 30 is a triangular cross-section stop member 44, (shown in cross-section in FIG. 3A.), one face of which provides a cam surface 45 and the other face of which provides a stop surface 46 directed generally towards the wall 32. Lateral slots 43 (only one of which is shown) in the housing 28 enable ready molding of the members 44. Adjacent the cavity 30, the housing defines an enlarged internal cavity 48 which is open at its left-hand (as seen in FIG. 2) end to define an opening 49 and has opposite parallel walls 50 and 52 outwardly offset from and adjoining the walls 40 and 42 respectively. The wall 52 has a recess 53 for receiving part of a tool for a purpose described below.

Reference will now be made to FIG. 3. To assemble the contact element 2 to the housing 28, the contact element 2 is inserted through the open end of the cavity 48 in the direction of the arrow A in FIG. 3 with the bight 6 of the contact element 2 leading in the fully inserted position of the contact element 2, the right-hand (as seen in FIG. 3) end of the bight 6 engages the inner surface of the wall 32 of the housing with the shoulder 36 in the cavity 30 projecting through the opening 16 in the bight 6 so that the surface 38 engages the shoulder 18 of the arm 4 of the element 2. During the insertion of the contact element 2, each of the locking tongues 22 is resiliently deformed inwardly by contact with the cam surface 45 of the stop member 44 and subsequently resiles upon full insertion of the element- 2 so that the free end surface of the locking tongue 22 lies opposite to the stop surface 46 of the member 44 to restrain withdrawal of the contact element 2 from the housing 28. Also in the fully inserted position of the contact element 2, the arm 4 of the contact element 2 engages the wall 40 of the housing, the extension 26 of the arm 4 engaging the wall 50 of the housing. The end portion 24 of the contact spring 8 engages the wall 52 of the housing and the upper (as seen in FIG. 3) surface of the bight 6 engages the wall 42, so that the contact spring is slightly pre-loaded.

As shown in FIG. 4, the casing 54 of electrical apparatus (not shown) has two projecting first electrical conductors in the form of metal posts 56 connected to the apparatus and having leads 58 wrapped about their lower (as seen in F IG. 4) portions. A pair of connectors 2, 28, as shown in FIG. 3, are employed, as described in detail below, to connect second electrical conduc tors in the form of leads 60 of an electrical component 62 to the posts 56. To this end, initially, each post 56 is inserted through the opening 49 of one of the housings 28, between the member 12 and the extension 26 of the arm 4 until the free end of the post 56 engages the stop surface 38 guided by the lugs 20 (see FIGS. 3 and The post 56 and the housing 28 are held relatively in position laterally by engagement of the member 12 and the contact spring 8 of the contact element against the post 56 so that the post is forced against the arm 4 of the contact element, relative axial movement between the post 56 and housing 28 being restrained by the engagement of the free end of the post against the surface 38 and by virtue of the fact that the post is resiliently gripped between the extension 26 and the member 12, since the space between the member 12 and the extension 26 is initially undersized with respect to the thickness of the post 56 as indicated in broken lines in FIG. 5. The stop surface 14 is slightly acutely angled with respect to the surface of the post 15, which surface is engaged by the member 12, so that the lower (as seen in FIG. 5) edge of the member 12 bites to a small extent into the post 56 to further restrain the withdrawal of the post 56. Each lead 60 is subsequently inserted through the opening 34 of the appropriate housing and thence through the slot 16 of the bight 6 of the contact element 2 in the housing, until the free end of the lead 60 engages the stop surface B4 of the detent 12 (FIG. 6). As best seen in FIG. 6A the spring a is cambered to restrain relative lateral movement between the lead 60 and the connector.

During the insertion of the lead 60, the free end of the lead 60 deforms the contact spring 8 towards a straightened position, the straightening of the contact spring 8 being taken up by virtue of the fact that the flat end portion 24 of the contact spring 8 slides against the wall 52 of the housing.

The connectors may be disengaged from the posts 56 and the leads 60 simply by withdrawing the leads 60 from the opening 34 and subsequently disengaging each member 12 from the corresponding post 56 by inserting an arm 63 of a simple L-shaped tool 64 into the recess 53 of the wall 52 and subsequently withdrawing the post 56 from the housing 28.

What is claimed is:

it. An electrical connector for releasably interconnecting first and second electrical conductors inserted axially into the connector in opposite senses, the connector comprising an insulating housing and a spring metal contact element retained therein, the housing having at one of two opposite ends of the housing a first opening for receiving the first conductor and at the other of the two opposite ends a second opening for receiving the second conductor, the connector having a stop surface adjacent to but offset from the second opening of the housing for engagement by the leading end of the first conductor; the contact element comprising first and second arms connected by and extending in the same general direction from a bight for resiliently engaging the conductors simultaneously between them, the bight having an opening aligned with and adjacent the second opening of the housing for receiving the second conductor and the contact element having a detent adjacent the first opening of the housing for engaging the first conductor to restrain it from with-.

drawal from the first opening.

2. A connector according to claim 1, in which the second arm, which is bowed towards the first arm, has a free end portion which is slidable against a part of a wall of the housing, the bight engaging another part of the wall and the first arm engaging a wall of the housing, opposite to the first mentioned wall.

3. A connector according to claim 1, in which the first arm has on opposite longitudinal edges thereof and in the vicinity of the bight spaced guide lugs for the first conductor.

4. A connector according to claim 3, in which each guide lug has an extension engageable with a stop surface of the housing to retain the contact element in the housing.

5. An electrical connector element wherein said element is stamped and formed from sheet metal stock and comprises first and second arms connected by a bight and extending in the same general direction from the bight and terminating in free ends, the first arm being generally flat and the second arm being bowed towards the first arm intermediate the bight and free end of the second arm, the free end of the second arm being divergent away from the first arm, the bight having an opening through which an electrical conductor can be inserted so as to be resiliently engaged between the arms, the first arm having towards its free end remote from the bight a side portion extending towards the divergent portion of the second arm and having a detent projecting towards the bight, the free end of the detent being directed towards and in line with the opening in the bight to be engageable with the end of an electrical conductor inserted through the opening in the bight.

6. An electrical connector element wherein said element is stamped and formed from sheet metal stock and comprises first and second arms connected by and towards the second and having a detent projecting extending in the same general direction from a bight, towards the bight Said fi t arm f h having a guide the second arm being bowed towards the first arm and the bight having an opening through which an electrical lug ufjtandmg fromheach of Its longlmdma] edgs and conductor can be inserted so as to be resiliently en- 5 exten mg toward 8 Second each lug having an gaged between the arms, the first arm having towards extension PmJCting obliquely outwardly its end remote from the bight a side portion extending 

1. An electrical connector for releasably interconnecting first and second electrical conductors inserted axially into the connector in opposite senses, the connector comprising an insulating housing and a spring metal contact element retained therein, the housing having at one of two opposite ends of the housing a first opening for receiving the first conductor and at the other of the two opposite ends a second opening for receiving the second conductor, the connector having a stop surface adjacent to but offset from the second opening of the housing for engagement by the leading end of the first conductor; the contact element comprising first and second arms connected by and extending in the same general direction from a bight for resiliently engaging the conductors simultaneously between them, the bight having an opening aligned with and adjacent the second opening of the housing for receiving the second conductor and the contact element having a detent adjacent the first opening of the housing for engaging the first conductor to restrain it from withdrawal from the first opening.
 2. A connector according to claim 1, in which the second arm, which is bowed towards the first arm, has a free end portion which is slidable against a part of a wall of the housing, the bight engaging another part of the wall and the first arm engaging a wall of the housing, opposite to the first mentioned wall.
 3. A connector according to claim 1, in which the first arm has on opposite longitudinal edges thereof and in the vicinity of the bight spaced guide lugs for the first conductor.
 4. A connector according to claim 3, in which each guide lug has an extension engageable with a stop surface of the housing to retain the contact element in the housing.
 5. An electrical connector element wherein said element is stamped and formed from sheet metal stock and comprises first and second arms connected by a bight and extending in the same general direction from the bight and terminating in free ends, the first arm being generally flat and the second arm being bowed towards the first arm intermediate the bight and free end of the second arm, the free end of the second arm being divergent away from the first arm, the bight having an opening through which an electrical conductor can be inserted so as to be resiliently engaged between the arms, the first arm having towards its free end remote from the bight a side portion extending towards the divergent portion of the second arm and having a detent projecting towards the bight, the free end of the detent being directed towards and in line with the opening in the bight to be engageable with the end of an electrical conductor inserted through the opening in the bight.
 6. An electrical connector element wherein said element is stamped and formed from sheet metal stock and comprises first and second arms connected by and extending in the same general direction from a bight, the second arm being bowed towards the first arm and the bight having an opening through which an electrical conductor can be inserted so as to be resiliently engaged between the arms, the first arm having towards its end remote from the bight a side portion extending towards the second arm and having a detent projecting towards the bight, said first arm further having a guide lug upstanding from each of its longitudinal edges and extending towards the second arm, each lug having an extension projecting obliqUely outwardly. 